“ More than just a course ” Research on the Wider Benefits of Community Education

1. “More than just a course” Research on the Wider Benefits of Community Education • Research aim and objectives • Why this research? • Adult education provision in Ireland • Models of Community Education • Methodology • Thinking about the possible outcomes of learning • Some results of the research • Considering the contribution to equality • The current situation 1

2. Aim and objectives • Aim: • To determine the individual, collective and societal outcomes of Department of Education and Skills (DES) funded community education and its potential to contribute to a fairer, just and more prosperous Republic of Ireland • Scope the operational environment • Determine providers’ philosophical approaches to community education and learners’ experiences of those approaches • Investigate the desired and achieved outcomes experienced by learners • Understand the barriers faced by providers • Contribute to the development of indicators • Assess equality impact using an equality framework 2

3. Why this research? • Answers the call from both national and international quarters to measure economic and social progress by evaluating the outcomes of state funded programs. • Meets a need to measure the wider benefits of learning (such as social, civic and health outcomes). • Satisfies a requirement at national and European level to carry out research into adult learning that supports evidence-based policy-making. • Joins other nation-wide studies into the benefits of adult learning, such as those carried out in Finland, Denmark and the United Kingdom. • Department of Education and Skills wanted to evaluate a program that had been established following the White Paper. • AONTAS wanted to make a case for community education. 3

4. Adult Learning in Ireland 4

5. Community Education Provision 5

6. Community Education Models (Lovett et al, 2003) 6

7. The Survey • Section One – “About you” • Section Two – “Your experience of community education” • Section Three – “How community education has helped you” • Plain English proofed by National Adult Literacy Association • Piloted with 36 learners • Cross-sectional survey, involving a stratified multi-stage clustered design, and was based on the 2008 returns for community education funded through the ALCES budget. • Sampling proportionate to the number of learners in each VEC was carried out. • 1 to 2 groups were randomly sampled from within each VEC by assigning groups a numeric value, more where there were higher numbers of learners. • Access had to be negotiated with 33 VECs • CEFS trained to administer 7

8. Methodology • A representative survey of 683 community education learners engaged in programs funded through the Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme (ALCES) from DES, sampled through 31 of the VECs. • A purposively sampled survey of 61 relevant personnel working in the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) • A survey of 31 Community Education Facilitators (CEFs) asking about the provision of community education in their local areas. • Eleven purposive in-depth case studies of community education providers incorporating past and present learner case studies. Six of the case study organizations were funded through the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) Community Strand. • Nine semi-structured interviews with key community education informants sampled purposively. • Analysis of DES returns for ALCES and BTEI strands 8

9. The Possible Outcomes of Learning • Progression – accreditation, movement to other education and training options or employment • Civic engagement – involvement political activities, voting, volunteering, protesting, critical media interpretation • Social engagement – development of trust and tolerance, building social networks, confidence in leadership/ public speaking • Personal development – confidence, sense of purpose/ hope, problem-solving, communication • Physical health – smoking cessation, better nutrition, taking exercise 9

10. Civic and Social Engagement Outcomes • 81% gave ‘to get more involved in my community’ as a reason for participating • 32% decided to give something back to the community • 29% began to use the internet • 25% volunteered, watched the news more often or began to read more books • Rural learners were less likely to name these outcomes • 65% said would be more likely to do something about fire station closest to home having budget cut • With conservative estimates if 25% of learners nationally began to volunteer the Government has almost recouped its 2009 investment 10

11. Civic and Social Engagement (con’t) • 89% indicated positive change in talking to new people • 88% in trying out new activities • 69% in more contact with friends • Majority also indicated an increased likelihood of doing something about children skipping school, children putting graffiti on local buildings or children showing disrespect to an adult • “you understand more about local issues, it gives you an understanding of what community is about if you don’t do something about it your community will die” (past learner #2) 11

12. Personal Development Outcomes • 85% indicated positive change in self confidence • 80% in a sense of purpose or hope • 77% in their general level of happiness • 75% indicated a positive change in an ability to do things by themselves • 12 of 18 outcomes were experienced by over half the sample • 58% indicated they feel happier and less depressed, while 53% felt they have more control over things that happen to them 12

13. Physical Health Outcomes • 46% said they started to exercise a bit more • 41% said they started to eat more fruit and vegetables • 29% of parents said they talked to their children about alcohol and drug use. 13

14. Building Skills- Progression Outcomes • 71% indicated their reason for taking part was to study a particular topic, with 52% indicating it was to help them move on to further study • 70% said they wanted to learn a new skill • 55% said they wanted to do another non-certified course with their current provider • 52% said they wanted to get a certificate with their current provider • 35% said they wanted to get a certificate with another group or centre 14

15. Progression (con’t) • Learners used multiple concepts of progression. The most often cited (40%) was progression as equilibrium • High levels of knowledge about FETAC (79%) • Low levels of knowledge of the NFQ (33%) • 48% indicated community education courses should result in accreditation. 15

16. Equality Dimensions (Baker et al., 2004) • Respect and recognition: universal citizenship, toleration and the private sphere • Resources: Poverty relief and the difference principle • Love, care and solidarity: a private affair • Power relations: civil and personal rights and liberal democracy • Working and learning: occupational and educational equal opportunity 16

17. Equality Outcomes – 5 dimensions • High percentages of the sample experiencing outcomes related to love, care and solidarity, ie social engagement • Family cohesion – 61% experienced positive change in general parenting and 67% in ability to be a positive role model • High percentages of the sample experienced outcomes related to respect and recognition – 64% experienced a positive change in being more accepting and understanding of other beliefs and 60% of other cultures. 59% said they were more sympathetic to people they would have judged badly 17

18. Equality (con’t) • Low numbers of learners experienced outcomes related to the power relations dimension • Community education assists equality of opportunity in learning given that 74% of the sample belonged to a disadvantaged target group • In terms of the resources dimension there is a limited impact. Past case study learners did move up income bands – generally due to participation in CE schemes 18

19. Conclusions • Revisit the vision for community education and targeting of learners • Community education enhances learning and results in empowerment • Community education makes a limited contribution to civic society • A locally integrated response is important • The openness of the environment is essential • Community education makes a contribution to equality • There is value for money in resourcing community education • There is a need for more evidence • Learn from the BTEI Community Strand • Full research report can be downloaded from www.aontas.com. 19

20. Learners’ Survey Sample Profile • 48% were 55+ • 85% were women • 62% were from small towns, villages or rural areas • 45% left school at lower secondary or before • 38% experienced one of material deprivation indicators • 26% of working age unemployed, 7.4% long-term • 22% were carers • 57% were volunteering 20